Major roads and highways leading to Pangasinan and Baguio were reopened on Tuesday by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to motorists after they were severely damaged by weather disturbances “Ondoy” and “Pepeng”.

Public Works Undersecretary Romeo Momo for Luzon operations said that the Marcos Highway and Naguilan Road were made passable as of 6 a.m. and 2 a.m., respectively, to both light and heavy vehicles.

“The two main roads to Baguio and Pangasinan are now open to all kinds of vehicles and we will no longer have crisis in vegetable supply in Metro Manila and as well as shortage of basic goods in Baguio,” Momo said.

The closure of the two vital roads earlier hampered relief operations of the government and led to the scarcity of vegetables. As a result of this, the price of vegetables in local market increased by 300 percent in Metro Manila and there was a shortage of basic goods.

DPWH personnel in Regions 1 and 2 have been working round the clock for four days to clear the roads from landslides and debris to make them passable.

But Momo said that there is so much to be done because they still have to work hard to open Aritao Road in Nueva Vizcaya, which also leads to Baguio, and the Baguio-Bontoc Road by Tuesday afternoon.

“We still have to repair the road in Ambassador Hill I Baguio which collapsed by about 80 meters. Its repair works may take us two or three days,” he added.

Reports from DPWH Bureau of Maintenance showed that the damage in infrastructure is now worth P1.5 billion with the devastation left by the twin typhoons in Luzon.

Among the regions hardest hit were Ilocos Region with the initial cost of P383. 09 million in damaged roads and bridges; followed by Central Luzon, P382 million; Cagayan Valley Region with P271.18; and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), P207.93 million.